Laccophilus boukali, Hájek & Šťastný, 2005

Hájek, Jiří & Šťastný, Jaroslav, 2005, Two new species of Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) from India and Borneo with notes on other species of the genus, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 45, pp. 51-58 : 52-53

Laccophilus boukali sp. nov.

( Figs. 1, 3 )

Type locality. India, Karnataka, Coorg, Kakkabe env.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘ INDIA: Karnataka, Coorg / Kakkabe env., 21.12.1998 / 12°15′N 75°35′E, 900 - 1200m / leg. D. Boukal (12) [printed] // HOLOTYPE / LACCOPHILUS / boukali sp. nov. / J. Hájek & J. Šťastný det. 2005’ [printed, red label] ( NMW) . PARATYPES: 2 ♀♀, same label data as holotype ( NMW). 1 J, ‘ INDIA: Karnataka, Coorg / Madikeri env., 19.12.1998 / 1300m, Talakaveri / 12°23′N 75°30′E / leg. D. Boukal (5)’ ( NMPC). Each paratype is provided with a red label similar to that of the holotype, except ‘PARATYPE’ instead of ‘HOLOTYPE’, the respective sex symbol and collection number.

Description. Oval and oblong; head and pronotum testaceous, larger part of elytra brown with testaceous pattern as depicted in Fig. 1 . Ventral parts and appendages testaceous.

Measurements. Body length 3.20-3.35 mm (mean value = 3.26 mm, holotype 3.20 mm), width 1.80-1.85 mm (mean value = 1.81 mm, holotype 1.80 mm).

Head. Coloration testaceous, in some specimens with indistinct light brown markings. Reticulation double, composed of moderately deeply impressed transverse polygonal meshes on anterior part and irregular meshes on posterior part, and microreticulation of very fine round meshes. Mouthparts testaceous.

Pronotum. Coloration testaceous, with two small brown spots at basal margin, and with anterior margin slightly darkened. Reticulation double, similar to that of head, but meshes larger. Anterior margin and posterior angles with numerous punctures.

Elytra. Elytral disc brown with testaceous markings, lateral parts testaceous. Subbasal testaceous band with anterior border almost straight, posterior border with distinct elongation near elytral suture and in most specimens also with smaller discal elongation. Subapical band divided into five longitudinal stripes. Remaining elytral surface with sinuous stripes, often indistinct in middle third of elytra, but widening apically, with elytral apex nearly testaceous in some specimens. Reticulation on whole elytra distinctly double, composed of irregular polygonal meshes and microreticulation, which is moderately deeply impressed and more distinct than on head or pronotum. Each elytron with sutural, discal and lateral row of large serial setigerous punctures.

Ventral side. Testaceous and microreticulated. Prosternal process long and acute. Abdominal sternites laterally with oblique grooves. Anal sternite tectiform, its surface with large punctures, setae and transverse grooves.

Legs. Completely testaceous. Male tarsomeres 1-3 of fore and middle legs weakly dilated with microtrichia on ventral side. Claws of fore tarsi simple and equal, as well as those of mid tarsi.

Male genitalia. Shape of median lobe as in Fig. 3 .

Female. Similar to male; tarsomeres of fore and middle legs not dilated.

Differential diagnosis. Based on the double reticulation of pronotum and elytra and the elytral pattern (brown sinuous stripes), the new species belongs to the Laccophilus chinensis - group as defined by BRANCUCCI (1983). Among the Oriental species of this group, the new species is similar to L. ritsemae Régimbart, 1880 , which it resembles in the habitus, body length and coloration. Both species can only be distinguished by the male genitalia. The median lobe of L. boukali sp. nov. is short and broad with a distinct ventral angle in the middle third of its length, while the median lobe of L. ritsemae is long and slender with its ventral edge sinuous. From other sympatrically occurring species, L. inefficiens (Walker, 1859) and L. kaszabi Brancucci, 1983 , the new species differs by the generally smaller size and the different shape of the median lobe.

Distribution. So far known only from two close localities in Karnataka state in south-western India.

Bionomy. The specimens from Kakkabe were collected in a larger stream with the main channel ca 5 m wide, with large boulders, a rocky bed with some stones and gravel in riffles and silt in pools. The specimen from Madikeri was collected in an artificial reservoir at a hilltop; the examined site had a dense shore vegetation, muddy bed, and was little shaded (D. S. BOUKAL in litt.).

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to its collector David S. Boukal (České Budějovice, Czech Republic), our friend, theoretical mathematician, photographer, and specialist on the Dryopoidea.

Figures

Figs 1-4. 1, 3 – Laccophilus boukali sp. nov. 1 – habitus; 3 – median lobe in lateral view. 2, 4 – L. uncletan sp. nov. 2 – habitus; 4 – aedeagus (a – median lobe in lateral view; b – apex of median lobe in dorsal view; c – left paramere; d – right paramere). Scale bars: 2 mm (Figs 1-2); 0.5 mm (Figs 3-4).